Portable clothes-rack



May 6, 1941. F. LA GROT TA PORTABLE CLOTHES RACK Filed Feb. 8, 1940Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATES PATNT GFFICE PORTABLE CLOTHES-RACKFrank La ,Grotta, New York, N: Y assignor to Conver Steel & Wire 00.,Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application February 8,1940, Serial No. 317,801

3 Claims.

This inventionrelatesto a portable clothes rack.

The rack is particularly adapted for transportation in personal baggage,and for use in bathrooms wherein towel bars are provided, although itis, of course, adapted to other uses.

It is well known that women during their travels and when findingtemporary abode in hotels frequently find it necessary or desirable torinse and dry their silk stockings or underthings. This operation theycarry on frequently in the hotel bathroom and after the rinsingoperation are at a loss for a rack on which to dry the rinsed articles.

The device that forms the subject matter of this invention may beconveniently packed for transportation in a suit case and may be hungfrom a towel bar in an extended operative position when in use andfolded inoperative position when not in use.

The device may be constructed and of such materials that it will becheap to manufacture and will not injure the most fragile ofunderthings.

In the drawing I have illustrated an embodiment of the inventionwherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in its extended positionand suspended from a wall towel bar;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the device;

Figure 3 is a view of the rack in its folded condition; and

Figure 4 is an elevation.

The embodiment illustrated consists essentially of side bars I and 2,which may be rectangular or of other cross sectional configuration, andcross rods 3 that extend between the bars, and may be rigidly securedthereto, or certain of which may be rotatably attached thereto so as topresent new surfaces to the clothing supported thereby. For instance,the end rods may be rigid with the side bars to insure the rigidity ofthe frame and the intervening bars may be rotatable.

Of course the bars I and 2 and the rods 3 may be made of any materialbut I prefer to make the rods of maple, as maple will present a hardsmooth surface to the clothes.

A hanger for the frame made preferably of a single piece of wire withsome resiliency is attached, removably if desired, to the frame adjacentwhat I shall term the base end of the frame.

The ends of the hanger are attached to the side bars I and 2 of theframe in such manner that the frame may swing on the hanger as onbearings 4. The arms 5 and 6 of the hanger have offset portions 1 withWhich the ends of the side bars I and 2 are adapted to engage when theframe is extended. These arms 5 and 6 are, at their upper ends, providedwith hooks that are joined together by a cross bar 9 which hooks areadapted to engage a towel bar such as shown at Ii]. The arms 5 and 6have wall engaging projections II and the lengths of the offsets I issuch that, when the frame is in its folded position the frame will be ina position over dead center as shown in Figure 3.

The arms 5 and 6 are also provided with clasps l2 that are adapted toengage a cross rod 3 and I maintain the frame and hanger infolded-together relation when the device is suspended from a towel rodor is being transported in a suit case.

When being transported the hanger and frame will be in the foldedrelation shown in Figure 4, and will be secured in this relation by theclasps I2.

When the device is in use and in position to receive clothing the hangerand frame will occupy the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. In thiscondition the hooks 8 will engage the towel bar I!) and the frame Willbe maintained in its clothes-receiving position (shown in the drawing ashorizontal) by the engagement of the side bars I and 2 with the offsetsI of the hanger. The weight and leverage of the frame will cause theends of the side bars I and 2 of the frame or the projections ll of thehanger, or both, if they are coextensive, to engage the wall of theroom. The greater the weight on the frame the greater will be the forceof this engagement, and the greater will be the tendency of the arms 5and 6 to pull the hooks 8 downwardly and tightly on the towel bar I0.

When the device is not to be used temporarily, the frame may be swungupwardly as shown in Figure 3 until it passes over dead center of itspivot. It will thus be held in its folded position. If desired, theclasps l2 may be provided to act as a latch for the frame but theseclasps may be omitted as will be readily understood.

When the frame is in its extended position as shown in Figures 1 and 2,the towels may be hung on the towel bar l0 and through and over thehanger. When the frameis in its folded position the towels may be hungon the towel bar and over the frame. Thus the device will not interferewith the towel supporting function.

It will be realized that modifications of the details of the device maybe made without departing from the invention and therefore I do not wishto be limited except as is required by the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A portable clothes rack adapted to hook on and be supported by atowel rack, including a frame having side bars and cross rods extendingbetween the side bars, a hanger made of a single piece of wire includingtwo legs, each of said legs terminating at one end in a hook, a crossbar joining the ends of the hooks together, the opposite end of each legbeing bent to form a cross bar to engage the upper face of the adjacentside bar of the frame and thence forwardly to pivotally engage a sideface of said side bar whereby the cross bar is located between the pivotpoint on the side bar and the inner end of the side bar.

2. A portable clothes rack adapted to hook on and be supported by atowel rack, including a frame having side bars and cross rods extendingbetween the side bars, a hanger made of a single piece of wire includingtwo legs,- each of said legs terminating at one end in a hook, a crossbar joining the ends of the hooks together, the opposite end of each legbeing bent to form a cross bar to engage the upper face of the adjacentside bar of the frame and thence forwardly to pivotally engage a sideface of said side bar whereby the cross bar is located between the pivotpoint on the side bar and the inner end of the side bar, the said legsbeing bowed and having a clasp thereon adapted to engage with a crossrod when the bow is sprung to maintain the hanger folded on the frame.

3. A portable clothes rack adapted to hook on and be supported by atowel rack including a frame having side bars and cross rods extendingbetween the same, a hanger made of a single piece of wire including twolegs, one end of each leg being detachably and pivotally engaged withthe adjacent side bar and held in engagement therewith by the resiliencyof the wire, the other end of each leg terminating in a hook with across bar joining the hooks together, each leg adjacent its pivotalpoint having a portion adapted to engage the upper face of the adjacentside bar whereby the frame and hanger will be maintained insubstantially right angular relationship to each other.

FRANK LA GROTTA.

